iPhone Unlocked

Great news for everyone with news from Engadget that the iPhone can now be completely unlocked via software to work with any sim. iphonesimfree.com have been working since the launch of the iPhone, until today, when they cracked it. The software will be available to the general public very soon, starting next week. This means that we could now import into the UK (if you are brave enough)... I might be!

Google Earth add Stars - Astronomy Alert

Head on over the BBC website, where they have a nice report on Google Sky. This is a 3D add-on for Google Earth, that is best described as turning things upside down.
Quote: "Sky will allow astronomers a chance to glide through images of more than one million stars and 200 million galaxies. Optional layers allow users to explore images from the Hubble Space Telescope as well as animations of lunar cycles. "

Canon UK - multitude of new Pixma Printers

Here in the UK we get even more to choose from when it comes to multifunction printers from Canon. We also get the MX300 and MX310 mentioned in our previous post, but also get the MP210 (£59), MP220 (£79), MP610 (£159), and the MP970 (£249), all of which are due to be available in either September or October this year. Hit the links above for the full specification, but especially check out the top of the range MP970 (pictured) which not only looks fantastic, but offers up ethernet connectivity, a massive 8.8cm colour screen, CD & DVD printing, and and amazing 9600 x 2400dpi resolution.

Canon launch three new all-in-one inkjets

Canon have launched three new all-in-one inkjet printers. Here follows the USA models, details of the UK newbies will follow shortly.

The Pixma MX700 (pictured) is a networkable 5-in-1 is all business, able to quickly produce beautiful photos and bold, professional-quality text. You can print photos right from compatible memory cards — selecting and enhancing images on the 1.8" color LCD display - or directly from a digital camera or DV camcorder. The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds up to 30 originals, and two paper trays can store both plain and photo paper. You'll achieve up to Super G3 fax speed in colour and B&W, and the expanded memory can store 40 speed dial codes and receive 100 incoming pages. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and when scanning photos you'll produce impressive 2400-dpi results, with vibrant 48-bit colour depth.

Next up is the Pixma MX310, which has a colour resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi; a borderless 4" x 6" photo takes only about 46 seconds2 The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds up to 30 originals, so it's much easier to copy, scan or fax large documents. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and documents will feature bold, laser-quality text. You'll produce 1200-dpi scans with vibrant 48-bit colour depth, and achieve Super G3 fax speed in color and B&W.

Last, but not least, the Pixma MX300 again had a resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi — and quickly, too: A borderless 4" x 6" photo takes only about 46 seconds. You can also print photos directly from a camera DV camcorder or camera phone3, without a computer. Your documents will feature bold, laser-quality text, and copies will be remarkably true to your originals. This All-In-One produces 600-dpi scans with vibrant 48-bit colour depth. Plus, it achieves Super G3 fax speed in color and B&W, and its memory can store 20 speed dial codes and receive 50 incoming pages.

These models will retail at $199, $129 and $99 respectively.

Adobe to launch Office rival

Check out the news over on CNet, where it reports that Adobe may be readying a rival to Microsoft Office. This is great news, as competition is always good for us all. For me, the new iWork may just be what I was looking for, but if Adobe come out with something better (and fresh) who knows.

New Mac Mini & Geekanoids Upgrade Fever

Soon after the latest batch of Apple announcements, a new Mac Mini was winging its way to sunny Kent. It landed, was tested, and before you could blink an eye, it was down to the business of upping the memory. The reason for this post, is just to share some wisdom gained through the process, so that if you choose to undertake (at your own risk) such an upgrade, it may go a little smoother.

The first task was to get the case off the Mini. I had read horror stories of taking a wallpaper stripping tool to the case, and this was not the way I wanted to go. I like my Mac kit in good condition, so the fear of scratching it up was a no no. Stumbling across an article that involved feeding thin wires into the case and over the retaining pegs sounded just the trick. Ninety minutes later I had it all wired up, and then when I tried to pull the pegs, it would not work, what a total waste of time. So a trip to my local DIY shop soon had me going full circle on my earlier decision, as I returned home with two wallpaper stripping tools.

The tools were very sharp and went in the side of the case really easily. I then padded things out with some plastic credit cards, and gently coaxed the case off. It was easier than I expected and no damage whatsoever. The airport received pops off, then one tiny wire, and four screws, the whole gubbins then sort of hinges backwards, allowing access to the memory.

I used the two 1GB sodimm modules that had come out of the Geekanoids MacBook Pro, so no cost was involved (just time). Installing them from this point was a breeze. Re-assembly was very easy indeed and before snapping the case back on, I carefully powered up the Mini to check it recognised the new memory, which it did. This is a good idea, as if it hadn't worked, getting the case off again would have been an ordeal to say the least. Getting the case back on was really easy, so I was very happy. Then comes my next tip…

The Mac Mini was behaving really weird. My mouse pointer would not go where I wanted, it also kept insisting I had a button pressed down. The dock would not resize, or magnify, or auto-hide. This was weird, but then I remembered the most fundamental thing to do when performing any type of memory upgrade, and that was resetting the PRAM. I did this, but still had problems, so then I reset the PMU, after which things returned right back to normal. So heed this advice and upgrade with care.

Skype launch 2.7 Beta for Mac

I love Skype, so it comes as good news that you can now try out the new 2.7 Beta version. This introduces integration with your Address Book, plus the ability to organise your contacts into groups. There is also a handy icon for tweaking your sound during a call. Check it out here.

Pixelmator - a PhotoShop alternative

Head on over to the Viddler link here, and you can see Pixelmator in action. This exciting new application, which is due to begin a private beta later this month, looks very polished indeed. It looks as though it will give us all a very cost effective alternative to PhotoShop.

Crucial - new website design

Crucial today announced the launch of its completely redesigned Web site, located at www.crucial.com, www.crucial.com/uk, and www.crucial.com/eu. The new Crucial.com site offers customers improved functionality, more robust online tools, and an expedited order process. Crucial.com offers over 240,000 memory upgrades for more than 30,000 desktops, notebooks, servers, printers, routers, and other electronic devices.

The Crucial Memory Advisor™ tool, which takes the guesswork out of finding compatible memory upgrade options, now allows users to select their systems’ manufacturer, product line, and model on a single page—making it even easier for customers to find 100%-compatible memory upgrades. Additionally, a simplified order process saves customers valuable time during checkout.

“At Crucial, our goal is to deliver the best customer experience possible -- outstanding online tools, information and support, as well as product recommendations – so users find everything they need for memory upgrades in one place,” said Rick D’Ambrosio, e-business manager for Crucial. “We want our customers to have an effortless experience from start to finish.”

iMac Keyboard iWork 08 iLife 08... my thoughts

The announcements Apple made yesterday made a lot of people happy, disgruntled a few and for myself, well, it was mixed feelings. As promised, I would love to share my thoughts, it may leave you wanting to add something in the comments, so feel free.

Well, to kick things off, Steve Jobs did a grand job, nothing could have made me happier than seeing how Steve delivered the news. Sitting at my desk, the iMac amazed me. Great specification, better pricing, well worth while to upgrade with the new graphics and processor power. Then Steve delivered a big blow, that word 'glossy'. Do not get me wrong, the MacBook glossy screen was fine, so why not on the iMac. I suppose it was just that my screen of choice is matte. Although I will most likely buy an iMac, it would be great if there was a matte option, but there is not, so I could never see myself using it for pro type work.

The keyboard that now accompanies the all new Macs (except the mini) is fantastic. I love the slimline design and having had a MacBook, the flat keys are nice and very easy to get used to. Two USB 2.0 ports is also a welcome addition, as are the quick keys that have been added. The wireless Bluetooth 2.0 version is also great, and due to its compact size will be a great companion for laptops.

The Mac Mini also got a revision, but nothing to really shout about. Speed bumping the Mini at least means it'll be around a bit longer. Shame it didn't get some graphics love, maybe a dedicated GPU, even at 64MB would have attracted a lot of users. If Apple ever added dual display capability this little wonder would be an even greater success.

On the software front, at last we got iLife and iWork 08. The new iLife adds some fantastic new features. For myself, iMovie sounds fantastic, having just got a lot more involved in video work for Geekanoids, I am very keen to try it out. The improvements to iPhoto also sound very interesting. In the past I have only ever used it to quickly import photos and never really organised my photos properly, so my task when my software arrives, is to really get organised using the new Events and better Keyword features.
iWork 08 is also on my review list. I used previous versions, but never really stuck with them. This was really due to using Quark Xpress for my page layout and TextEdit for everything else. Another promise to Apple coming up, that apart from the review of iWork, I will stick with it and give it a chance to shine. The addition of Numbers also made perfect sense, and if it works in the style I would expect, should negate the need for anyone to invest in the new MS Office, when/if it ever arrives.

Yesterday was a great day for Apple and they really delivered on all fronts what all Mac users have been waiting for. At last we can sit back and start enjoying the new software and hardware, content that the software will be safe for a while, and that new hardware is just around the corner. Many thanks Steve and the rest of the Apple team, on behalf of all your fans.

New Apple iMacs - the full details

Apple® today unveiled an all new all-in-one iMac® line featuring gorgeous 20- and 24-inch widescreen displays encased in elegant and professional aluminium and glass enclosures. The entire new iMac line features the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and a new, ultra-thin aluminium Apple Keyboard, built-in iSight® video camera for video conferencing and iLife® ’08, making it the ultimate digital lifestyle desktop computer for both consumers and professionals. The 20-inch iMac now starts at just £799 (inc VAT), £200 less than the previous 20-inch model, and the 24-inch iMac starts at just £1,349 (inc VAT), £200 less than the previous 24-inch model.

“This new iMac is the most incredible desktop computer we’ve ever made,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Our new design features the innovative use of materials, including professional-grade aluminium and glass, that are highly recyclable."

Redefining Apple’s signature all-in-one design, the new iMac integrates the entire computer system into a sleek, professional aluminium enclosure for a striking, clutter-free desktop. An elegant glass cover joins precisely to the aluminium enclosure creating a virtually seamless front surface. The new iMac’s 20- and 24-inch glossy widescreen displays provide incredibly crisp images, ideal for photos and movies using the all new iLife ’08 suite of digital lifestyle applications that are included. The new ultra-thin aluminium Apple Keyboard is just 0.33 inches thin at its front edge. A new optional Apple Wireless Keyboard is a compact design that, with Apple’s wireless Mighty Mouse, offers a cable-free desktop.

Packing professional performance into the convenience of an all-in-one design, the new iMac includes the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors running up to 2.8 GHz with 4MB of shared L2 cache and up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory. The iMac line features ATI’s next generation of graphics with the ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB of GDDR3 memory and the ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB of GDDR3 memory. The new iMac now offers up to 1TB of internal storage to accommodate a user’s growing library of digital photos, movies and music.

Providing the latest in high-performance connectivity options to quickly and conveniently transfer digital photos, music and video, the iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, delivering up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g;* Gigabit Ethernet; a total of five USB 2.0 ports (including two on the new Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire® 400 and one FireWire 800 port.

The new iMac, with its stunning design, features highly recyclable and durable materials including scratch-resistant glass and professional grade aluminium. The power-efficient iMac also meets the stringent new Energy Star 4.0 requirements.

Every iMac also includes iLife ’08, the most significant update ever to Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring a major new version of iPhoto® and a completely reinvented iMovie®, both seamlessly integrated with the new .Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing. The new iMac also comes with the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac OS® X version 10.4.10 Tiger, including Safari™, Mail, iCal®, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth.

Pricing & Availability
The new iMac line is available immediately through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers. The new Apple Wireless Keyboard will ship by the end of August and will be available as a build-to-order option with the new iMac through the Apple Store (http://www.apple.com/uk/) for a suggested retail price of £20 (inc VAT) or £34 (inc VAT) when purchased along with the wireless Mighty Mouse, and as a standalone purchase for a suggested retail price of £49 (inc VAT) through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.

The new 20-inch 2.0 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of £799 (inc VAT), includes:

• 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
• 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
• 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the new Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote.

The new 20-inch 2.4 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of £949 (inc VAT), includes:

• 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
• 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the new Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote.

The new 24-inch 2.4 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of £1,149 (inc VAT), includes:

• 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
• 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the new Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote.

Build-to-order options and accessories include: a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme processor, up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM and up to a 1TB Serial ATA hard drive on the 24-inch iMac; up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM and up to 750GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 2.4 GHz 20-inch iMac; and up to 4GB of DDR2 SDRAM and up to 500GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 2.0 GHz 20-inch iMac. Additional options include: new Apple Wireless Keyboard and wireless Mighty Mouse; AirPort Express® and AirPort Extreme Base Station (now with Gigabit Ethernet); the AppleCare Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of iWork™ ’08, Logic® Express 7, Final Cut® Express HD 3.5 and Aperture 1.5.